Trusty knocks down 1,500DANVILLE — Jay Trusty doesn’t have the perfect shot. There’s too much side spin, he said. But it’s his shot and it’s helped him knock down more than 1,500 points for the Danville Little Johns basketball program. If it works, it works, the senior point guard said. Trusty was moved up as a freshman to play for the varsity squad, but didn’t see much playing time until his sophomore year. Trusty said at that point he felt like everyone on the team...

Lady Wildcats win thirdCONWAY — The Hector Lady Wildcats fought to a third place finish in the Conway Christian Tournament with a 48-46 win over the Pangburn Tigers. The Lady Wildcats moved to 7-4 on the season and 2-0 in 2A-4 Conference play. Darci Fountain hit the game winning shot with five seconds left in the game. Cassidy Haley led in scoring with 15 points, followed by Avery Williams with 12, Laken Stanek with 11 and Fountain with nine. “I was happy that we go...

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Junior Lady Pirates take third in DanvilleDANVILLE — The Dover Junior Lady Pirates suffered a heartbreaker in the finals of the Danville Junior High Invitational Tournament on Saturday. Dover led the top-seeded Lavaca Lady Golden Arrows for the majority of the games, but gave up a 35-32 loss in the fourth quarter. “This was definitely a heartbreaker,” Dover head coach Mike Heath said. “We didn’t play as good as we could have overall, but we were able to get a lead and hold on for most...

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Searcy beats Pottsville MORRILTON — The Pottsville Apaches won third in the Morrilton Tournament held on Saturday after a 52-39 loss to the Searcy Lions. Pottsville trailed 13-9 after the first quarter and 24-13 at halftime. The Apaches pulled within 10 by the end of the third quarter, 37-27. “It’s tough to play three games in three days against quality opponents,” Pottsville head coach Shane Thurman said. “So I am proud of the resilience these boys showed. I felt li...

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Lady Cyclones fall to Class 1A WonderviewMORRILTON — The Russellville Lady Cyclones held a 15-2 lead over the Wonderview Lady Daredevils in the first period of Saturday’s third-place game in the sixth annual Northwestern/Modern Woodmen Invitational Basketball Tournament at Morrilton High School. But Wonderview, the Class 1A state runner-up, used its pressure defense to get back in the game and went to win 47-43 over Russellville (3-5). Shameka Ealy, who led everybody with 21 points, ...

Adams leads Suns to 8th straight victoryIt wasn’t easy, but Arkansas Tech University extended its women’s basketball winning streak against Southern Arkansas University to 18 consecutive games on Saturday. The nationally 18th-ranked Golden Suns (8-0 overall, 3-0 Great American Conference) defeated the Lady Muleriders 87-81 at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville to continue their best start to a season in three years. Fatima Adams registered her sixth consecutive double-double for ATU wi...

Arkansas rockets past DaytonFAYETTEVILLE — Bobby Portis had nearly a week to think about Arkansas’ most disappointing loss of the season. The Razorbacks’ leading scorer used that internal motivation - as well as a loving push from coach Mike Anderson - to help Arkansas put an end to its two-game losing skid with a 69-55 win over Dayton on Saturday afternoon. Portis had 18 points and nine rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting, connecting on several long jump shots and sparking the...

Warren thrashes Mena for Class 4A football titleLITTLE ROCK — Kilay Cox’s 6-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter triggered the mercy rule as Warren defeated Mena 48-14 for the Arkansas Class 4A football championship. The mercy rule calls for the game clock to run continuously. The third quarter score was Cox’s fourth touchdown of the game. He finished with 214 yards on 35 carries and added another touchdown during the fourth quarter and was selected as the game’s most valuabl...

Cyclones topple GreenwoodThe Russellville Cyclones took fifth in the 29th annual Cyclone Classic with a 65-42 win over the Greenwood Bulldogs on Saturday inside Cyclone Gymnasium. Russellville (5-3) led from the opening tip and never looked back. K.J. Patrick scored 18 points in the first half to help the Cyclones put some separation between themselves and the Bulldogs. Patrick scored Russellville’s first four points. Greenwood made it 4-2, but Cole McKown put a rebou...

Apaches lose to MorriltonMORRILTON — The Pottsville Apaches were outmatched 45-34 by the Morrilton Devil Dogs during the sixth annual Northwestern/Modern Woodmen Invitational basketball tournament Thursday at Morrilton High School. “We really competed, but we are going to have to execute better offensively,” Pottsville head coach Shane Thurman said. “This was a great chance to see what we needed to work on because Morrilton has great quickness and can really pressure ...

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Lady Cyclones fall to PAMORRILTON — The Russellville Lady Cyclones were outscored 13-5 in the third period and got within five points in the fourth quarter, but eventually lost to the Pulaski Academy Lady Bruins 55-46 during the sixth annual Northwestern/Modern Woodmen Invitational Basketball Tournament on Friday night at Morrilton High School. Russellville (3-4), which snapped a three-game win streak, will play for third place at 3 p.m. today. The Lady Cyclones gain...

Cyclones decimate SubiacoThe Russellville Cyclones made short work of the Subiaco Trojans during their second game of the Cyclone Classic inside Cyclone Gymnasium on Friday night. The Cyclones held the Trojans to just 13 points before Cyclones assistant coach Derek Phillips rested his starters with a 53-13 lead and the Mercy Rule already in effect at the start of the fourth quarter. With a quick clock, Russellville’s backup players set the final score at 58-21. After ...

Clarksville comes up short against WolvesThe Clarksville Panthers went down swinging in their second game of the Cyclone Classic at Russellville High School. A 6-0 run by the Lake Hamilton Wolves in the fourth quarter put just enough distance between the teams for Clarksville to come up short, 54-47. The Panthers (6-3) opened the game with a 5-0 run and exchanged the lead with Lake Hamilton three times, but found themselves trailing 21-19 at halftime. After Brandon Baker’s 3-pointer ...

Apaches lose to MorriltonMORRILTON — The Pottsville Apaches were outmatched 45-34 by the Morrilton Devil Dogs during Thursday’s tournament held in Devil Dog Gymnasium. “We really competed, but we are going to have to execute better offensively,” Pottsville head coach Shane Thurman said. “This was a great chance to see what we needed to work on because Morrilton has great quickness and can really pressure the basketball.” Pottsville (4-2) trailed 15-10 after the first ...

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Panthers beat ArkadelphiaThe Clarksville Panthers overwhelmed the Arkadelphia Badgers 67-46 in the first round of the Cyclone Classic on Thursday inside Cyclone Gymnasium. The Panthers (6-2) led by as many as 16-5, but a 6-0 run and a 3-pointer by the Badgers at the buzzer made it 16-11 going into the second quarter. Clarksville widened its lead to 35-22 by hafltime, but didn’t blow the doors open until the third quarter with four 3-pointers divided between Logan Wood...

Mann ejected during Cyclones lossThe Russellville Cyclones went cold in the second half of Thursday night’s game with the Sylvan Hills Bears, and it was enough to see their 29-22 halftime lead come unraveled. To make matters worse, with less than 40 seconds left, Cyclones head coach Codey Mann drew back-to-back technical fouls and was ejected from the game, which ended in an 55-41 Sylvan Hills victory. Russellville (3-3) also had to make due without leading scorer Andy Campbe...

Cyclones to host 29th ClassicThe Russellville Cyclones will host the 29th annual Cyclone Classic beginning Thursday inside Cyclone Gymnasium. Cyclones head coach Codey Mann said the tournament was a great chance for his team to get much needed experience and three-straight home games in the nonconference season. “Three home games in invaluable,” he said. “Getting to play in front of your home crowd, sleeping in your own bed, nothing changes for you except you’re playing a...

One more look: Sand Lizard prideJosh Price was alone in his office — one foot kicked onto his desk, lights off. I poked my head in the door, but didn’t see him. Moments earlier his Dardanelle Sand Lizards were bumped from the Class 4A state semifinals by the Warren Lumberjacks. The scoreboard still read 17-16 as I ducked into the field house. I needed quotes for my story. Price needed a moment to collect his thoughts away from the players, fans and other coaches that still c...

Sand Lizards share support during lossDARDANELLE — “Remember this,” Sand Lizards head football coach Josh Price told his players after a 17-16 loss to Warren during the semifinals of the 4A State Playoffs on Friday night at Keenan Field. “We fought until the last possession,” Price said to his players during a midfield huddle after the game. “You’ll remember this forever.” The Sand Lizards hung their heads low after the Lumberjacks prevented the team’s first football state champio...

Historic season ends in heartbreakDARDANELLE — The Sand Lizards fell about 70 yards shy of a trip to War Memorial Stadium during Friday’s 17-16 loss to the Warren Lumberjacks in the semifinals of the Class 4A State Playoffs. Dardanelle (13-1) regained possession at its 1-yard line with one time out and 1:15 left to play in the fourth quarter. A field goal was all the Sand Lizards needed to win. Incidentally, missed opportunities in the kicking game was all that cost Dardanelle...